Trees Bolster Cushion Cover

Trees Bolster Cushion Cover by Sian Brown

What is Being Made

The Trees Bolster Cushion Cover is a knitted cylindrical cushion cover designed by Sian Brown. This intermediate-level knitting project creates a decorative bolster pillow cover measuring 46 cm in length with a circumference of 61 cm and end diameters of 19.5–20 cm. The cover features a sophisticated color-blocked design combined with a fairisle patterned tree motif, making it an elegant home décor accessory suitable for adding visual interest to sofas, beds, or reading nooks.

Craft and Techniques

This project uses knitting as the primary construction method. The bolster cover is worked primarily in stocking stitch (stockinette stitch), which creates a smooth, classic knit fabric ideal for displaying color work. The design incorporates fairisle knitting, a traditional colorwork technique where multiple yarn colors are carried across the back of the work to create the tree pattern. The fairisle sections require reading charts carefully, working right to left on right-side rows and left to right on wrong-side rows, which is standard for this technique. The cover also features color blocking, where solid sections of different colors are worked sequentially to create distinct horizontal bands before and after the fairisle tree motif.

Stitches Used

• Stocking Stitch (Stockinette Stitch): The primary stitch throughout most of the cover, creating rows of knit stitches on the right side and purl stitches on the wrong side for a smooth, even fabric
• Fairisle: Used for the tree pattern sections, requiring the knitter to strand yarn colors across the back of the work while switching between colors to create the design
• Cast-on and bind-off: Standard techniques used to begin and finish the knitted piece

Materials and Specifications

The Trees Bolster Cushion Cover is knitted using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn, a premium blend containing 55% merino wool, 33% acrylic, and 12% cashmere. This aran-weight yarn provides warmth, softness, and durability ideal for a cushion cover that will receive regular use. The yarn is worked at a tension of 18 stitches and 24 rows to 10 x 10 cm (4 x 4 inches) in stocking stitch using size 5mm needles.

The color palette consists of four shades from the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran range:

• Ecru (101): 4 balls—the primary color forming the main body sections
• Beige (102): 2 balls—used for color blocking and fairisle background
• Citrus (075): 1 ball—accent color within the tree motif
• Duck Egg (082): 1 ball—secondary accent color for the tree pattern

Additional materials include a pair of size 5mm needles, 7 buttons measuring 20mm (as used on the sample), and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends and attaching buttons. The buttons serve as functional closures for the cushion cover opening.

Construction Details

The bolster cover is constructed as a single main piece that is later seamed and finished. The knitter begins by casting on 106 stitches and working the foundation in ecru with 14 rows of stocking stitch. The design then progresses through a series of color changes and pattern sections: a beige transition, the fairisle tree chart worked 13 times across the width for a repeating pattern, additional stocking stitch sections in beige and ecru, and further fairisle chart repeats. This structured approach creates a balanced, symmetrical design suitable for a cylindrical bolster format. The intermediate difficulty rating reflects the combination of fairisle colorwork, color changes, and chart reading required, making this project suitable for knitters with foundational skills who are ready to tackle two-color stranded knitting.